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Reuters
03-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
China's foreign minister dismisses European worries over rare earths
BERLIN, July 3 (Reuters) - China's foreign minister downplayed European worries over rare earth exports restrictions on Thursday, saying it was standard practise to control dual-use goods exports but that Europe's needs could be met if applications were submitted. Wang Yi was speaking in Berlin during a joint news conference with his German counterpart, on the second leg of a European tour seeking to lay the groundwork for a summit between EU and Chinese leaders later this month. "Rare earths have not been, are not, and will not be a problem between China and Europe, or between China and Germany," Wang said. "If legal applications are submitted, Europe's and Germany's normal needs can be met." China, which controls over 90% of global processing capacity for rare earths used in everything from automobiles to home appliances, had imposed restrictions in early April requiring exporters to obtain licenses from Beijing. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the restrictions were causing "great concern" and tarnishing China's image in Germany as a reliable trade partner. "We are on the path to finding sustainable joint solutions that will bring the necessary detente," he said. But when Wang was asked if an agreement could be reached on restrictions ahead of the EU-China summit, he said: "This is not an issue between China and Europe... controlling dual-use goods is standard practice. China and Germany both have the right to do so." The Chinese Ministry of Commerce already has a fast-track procedure in place to ensure that normal approvals are processed as quickly as possible, he added. Wang came to Berlin from Brussels, where he met with EU officials including the bloc's high representative for foreign policy Kaja Kallas, who also urged Wang to end rare earth export restrictions. Wadephul said the two foreign ministers also discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan and the crisis in the Middle East. "We believe China can play a constructive role in relation to Iran," he said.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China's foreign minister dismisses European worries over rare earths
BERLIN (Reuters) -China's foreign minister downplayed European worries over rare earth exports restrictions on Thursday, saying it was standard practise to control dual-use goods exports but that Europe's needs could be met if applications were submitted. Wang Yi was speaking in Berlin during a joint news conference with his German counterpart, on the second leg of a European tour seeking to lay the groundwork for a summit between EU and Chinese leaders later this month. "Rare earths have not been, are not, and will not be a problem between China and Europe, or between China and Germany," Wang said. "If legal applications are submitted, Europe's and Germany's normal needs can be met." China, which controls over 90% of global processing capacity for rare earths used in everything from automobiles to home appliances, had imposed restrictions in early April requiring exporters to obtain licenses from Beijing. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the restrictions were causing "great concern" and tarnishing China's image in Germany as a reliable trade partner. "We are on the path to finding sustainable joint solutions that will bring the necessary detente," he said. But when Wang was asked if an agreement could be reached on restrictions ahead of the EU-China summit, he said: "This is not an issue between China and Europe... controlling dual-use goods is standard practice. China and Germany both have the right to do so." The Chinese Ministry of Commerce already has a fast-track procedure in place to ensure that normal approvals are processed as quickly as possible, he added. Wang came to Berlin from Brussels, where he met with EU officials including the bloc's high representative for foreign policy Kaja Kallas, who also urged Wang to end rare earth export restrictions. Wadephul said the two foreign ministers also discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan and the crisis in the Middle East. "We believe China can play a constructive role in relation to Iran," he said. Sign in to access your portfolio
South China Morning Post
02-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Wang Yi tells top EU officials in Brussels to unite against ‘unilateralism and bullying'
Beijing's top envoy has called for China and Europe to join forces against 'unilateralism and bullying' in a thinly veiled swipe at the United States, after meeting European Union leaders in Brussels. Advertisement Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, before sitting down for marathon political talks with the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas that were expected to run over dinner. 'The world today is full of turmoil, and unilateralism and bullying have severely impacted the international order and international rules,' Wang told Costa, the former Portuguese premier, according to a readout published by China's foreign ministry. 'As the two major forces and economies in the world, if China and Europe insist on dialogue and cooperation, it will be difficult for camps to form,' he continued, doubling down on the need to 'strengthen unity' in a 'turbulent world'. The meetings were intended to set the agenda for a leaders' summit in Beijing and Hefei in three weeks, when the EU trio will meet China's President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang over two days. Advertisement Leading the Brussels agenda for the Wednesday meetings were China's ties with Russia and its prickly trade relations with the EU, which have worsened in recent weeks after Beijing introduced export restrictions on rare earth elements and magnets. Concerning the Ukraine war, Wang 'stressed that China always determines its position based on the right and wrong of the matter itself, and will continue to stand firmly on the side of peace and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks and politically resolving the crisis', the readout said.
South China Morning Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China's defence chief forges Europe ties in Paris, Berlin plus UN peace pledge
In the first visit to Europe by a Chinese defence minister in more than four years, Dong Jun said Beijing would intensify security exchanges with European countries and boost its role in United Nations peacekeeping operations. Advertisement Dong's visit to France and Germany – ahead of his address to the sixth UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin on Wednesday – was not announced in advance by Beijing, and the defence ministry issued only brief statements about the meetings held with his counterparts in Paris and Berlin. Each statement said that Dong held in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations and pledged to strengthen defence cooperation. Sébastien Lecornu, Dong's French counterpart, said in a social media post on Tuesday that the dialogue was 'frank', given the two countries' shared responsibilities as nuclear-weapon states and permanent members of the UN Security Council. According to Lecornu, both sides covered issues including free maritime navigation, the fight against nuclear proliferation, stability in the Indo-Pacific, the security situation in the Middle East, and the return to a 'just and lasting peace' in Ukraine. Advertisement China has strengthened its defence diplomacy in recent years, portraying itself as a defender of the global order and a source of stability amid the chaos stirred by US President Donald Trump.
